Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I agree Florida... I didn't mean to buy it from China. I have to run the numbers to see if it makes sense to build lined rafts over these trays

Lined rafts seem to be the way to go. Although I like the idea that the industry here is starting to see value in Aquaponics. Undoubtedly those molded beds will make some newbies build a lot easier. Along with bringing in people with less DIY skills into our addiction.

A few things to consider when looking at molded beds.
1, do they require lots of support to be able to be filled with gravel without bowing out or cracking?
I've look at and even used things like mortar tubs but in time when filled with gravel, especially flood and drain, you have to provide support to the sides and under the bottom or they will bow and crack.
The containment tubs are probably only rated to hold something temporarily or perhaps only half way up the sides.

When I was working with a rotomolding company, none of the rectangular containers they already had molds for could be filled more than half way with water before they would start bowing out. The real expense beyond just the material, power, machines, labor, and shipping, is getting the initial mold made which is why so few people have done it here.

I can not pass judgment on them as I have not seen a picture of them yet. They could have inner supports like the BYAP beds. I am hoping that it is a different mold from their containment tub mold. Seeing as they would really only have to change the inside mold. So their risk to bring this to market would only be half of what a complete new design would be.

The way roto molding works, it would require a whole new mold to change a containment tub into a bed with ribs to provide the extra support. It isn't like the rib braces are added after the fact or anything, they are molded with the rest of the bed.

Yes Maam, but the rib braces if they were triangular in shape and sticking into the GB on the inside. Those would be cut out of the interior mold. The exterior mold would not be forced to change unless you were changing the physical shape of it. This would require a little more plastic, given. But it would cut the company's risk immensely. Running a blow molder every day helps me understand the plastics flow characteristics, and ability to conform to a mold. Now I totally agree with you If they were trying to make the GB with the same exact amount of plastic as their containment vessel. This would require revamping the exterior mold, where the plastic would have to come from.

I don't think roto molding uses interior molds?
My large water storage tanks are roto molded. Most beds or the fish tanks are usually molded in pairs (open side to open side and then cut apart to minimize the loss of material to re-grind.

Now if you were talking about tanks that are injection molded, then yes they would have an inside and outside mold but those machines would be absolutely massive seeing as an injection molding machine to make something the size of an indexing valve part is about the size of a car.

Gingerbreadman,

It looks like the dimensions of the Containment trays and the grow beds are different on their website. So they may be brand new molds.

TCLynx,

I see what you are saying. I was under the impression that they had an option to run an inner mold to be able to run Items like foam filled car seats in pairs.

I use Mortar tubs in my system,if they are similar to what TC has mentioned,they are currently being used as my mini DWCs,these have been in use now for a long time firstly used as constant flood media beds filled with crushed granite,they have been no problem so far.

Andy,

Not sure exactly what they are as they are a new product here. And the company's website does not have a picture. So basically we are guessing as to what they really are.

They may be, FF. I did not spend too long looking at it. I have some experience with containment trays, and various industrial tanks and bulk containers, but none with commercial growbeds. I'd be interested if the price was right, that's for sure.

Yeah if they gave us a picture for their new product they may sell some of them.

This is the mortar bin i use,when i checked it is virgin HPE,it has a ribbed base and the rolled top which stops any deformation when its full.

Hey FF, I think the mods removed my venting post.lol I didn't say anything in there that I haven't seen many times on the forum, so didn't think I was out of line?? Oh well.